Interesting letter on Offshore racing
 

I'm posting this letter I received the other day, this letter was very interesting to read and I thought I would share it with some of you. If this thread becomes a biching contest I WILL delete the thread.

SIDE NOTE THIS LETTER WAS DATED DEC 6 05' I am unaware of the OSS Responce can someone please help


Dear Paul,

I recently had back to back discussions with other OSS members and SBI
officials regarding the dilemma of holding a joint 2006 World Championship
event in Key West. From these discussions, it became obvious that each group
is searching for a way to make this happen. However, it appears there is no
direct contact between the two organizations.

The consensus of my conversations is that each organization wants to remain
autonomous. And, having two offshore racing organizations, is good for the
sport. However, the downside is that each organization is competing for the
small group of race teams where the two organization's classes overlap. This
will continue indefinitely until one of three things happens. 1) One
organization acquires the other through a mutually agreeable financial
agreement. 2) One organization fails financially and ceases to exist. 3) The
two organizations can agree to mutually recognize each other, acknowledging
each organizations right to autonomy, and develop a plan to operate
concurrently under a mutually acceptable set of guidelines.

The mechanism for option 3 above, mutual recognition and autonomy is
currently in place. It comes through APBA Detroit in the form of recognizing
member clubs and associations to conduct powerboat racing events. With the
merger of SBI and APBA Offshore, the current SBI/APBA organization was
compelled to keep this concept as part of the APBA Detroit licensing
agreement. Under this provision, any powerboat club or association can
become a member club of APBA. In doing so, the club or association agrees to
abide by the APBA racing rules for the category under which it becomes a
member. I have discussed this with John Carbonnell and he has acknowledged
that under the APBA licensing agreement, he is bound to this concept and
would have to recognize a club or association who wished to become a member
under this provision.

The precedent for this type of member association recognition was
established when the Great Lakes Silver Cup Series (GLSC) was recognized as
a Member Association of APBA Offshore. Under that program, GLSC had its own
officers, membership rules, membership fees, equipment registration fees,
race schedule, race officials and inspectors, safety team, insurance,
television series, etc. It was an autonomous organization within the APBA
Offshore category.

It appears, that the APBA member club and association provisions of the APBA
(Detroit) Offshore Category licensing agreement could be the avenue by which
SBI, APBA, and OSS can find common ground. It is my understanding that the
APBA license is between APBA and an entity named World Powerboat Racing
(WPR). WPR, which is owned by John Carbonnell, has contracted SBI to manage
and conduct powerboat races under the licensing agreement. SBI, under this
contract, administers and maintains the General and Technical rules for the
APBA offshore category, and conducts category powerboat races. SBI is a
separate entity from WPR, who holds the APBA Offshore license.

Within the APBA-WPR-SBI arrangement, there is an opportunity for OSS to
become an APBA Member Association. This would be something very similar to
the GLSC/APBA scenario, under which OSS would be an autonomous organization
with its own officers, membership, membership rules, equipment fees, race
schedule, safety team, officials and inspectors, etc. Both OSS and SBI would
conduct their respective racing events under a standard set of APBA General
and Technical rules. In the GLSC Association, GLSC decided which race
classes it would offer, and established race procedures for those classes at
its events. The same latitudes would apply to an OSS/APBA Association.

Equipment owner representation and participation is the heart of OSS. In
2003, APBA Offshore established an owner representation program that, for
all practical purposes, is identical to the current OSS owner representation
program. The APBA owner representation program became part of the license
agreement between APBA and WPR. Under an OSS/APBA association membership
program, OSS team owners would have the same voice in determining their
respective class rules within APBA as they currently have with OSS.

As you can see, there are many positive reasons to explore the possibility
of OSS becoming a member association of the APBA Offshore Category. This
could be a win-win situation; a move that would be universally recognized as
an action taken by both groups for the betterment of the sport. The most
expedient way to move this line of thinking forward is a meeting between
yourself and John Carbonnell. John has expressed to me that he is willing to
participate in such a meeting, and has asked me to contact you to see if you
would be willing open the lines of communication.

I understand that you and Gerry Chastelet are planning to meet with Bill
Spotswood in a couple of weeks to discuss OSS participation in the 2006 Key
West World Championships. My suggestion is that while you are in Key West,
it would be an excellent opportunity to meet with John to discuss the
aforementioned possibilities. If you would like, you can call me and I will
make the arrangements for a time and place for the meeting at a neutral
location I'm thinking one of the conference rooms at a Spotswood hotel.

As John and I have discussed, the primary goal of the meeting would be to go
in, discuss the possibilities, and come out either as partners, or friends,
but certainly not enemies. The very least that would happen is the
development of open communications between OSS and SBI/APBA.

Thank you in advance.



Ken Doyle

Re: Interesting letter on Offshore racing
 

It will never be the same untill everyone is united. Thats why I retired.

Re: Interesting letter on Offshore racing
 

So Tres do you think something like this would help the sport?

Re: Interesting letter on Offshore racing
 

Sounds like a step in the right direction. Thanks for the information.

Re: Interesting letter on Offshore racing
 

The sport is upside down right now....Hopefully it will be righted soon!

Re: Interesting letter on Offshore racing
 

I forgot to mention this letter was from Dec 6 05'

Re: Interesting letter on Offshore racing
 

Look. it real clear . I had a great sponsor at one time untill the division of the sport . Since then Numbers of attendance dropped, entries, sponsors, and Whos really the World chamion or Nation champion in which body against how many. OK so you devide the groups, How fun is it to beat a few boats in your class? or is it better to win against an entire fleet? Where is GM as a sponsor now?Untill a point When boat Sactioning bodies can get together and put the past behind them, work together as a whole, and align all the classes where you get record # of boats, record # crowds and TV coverage that counts and complete harmony amongst all teams. This sport will just dredge on at a snail pace.

Re: Interesting letter on Offshore racing
 

Lost me...I could care less about the sport anymore

It's doing a great job of that. If I'm grading the sport from a fan perspective I'll give it an "exceeds expectations" in the "dredging along" area.

Re: Interesting letter on Offshore racing
 

Come and Race over in the Uim circles!
They are doing great.
As we speak the ProVee Class is getting new entrants all the time.
One team being A Former Ferrari and Toyota F1 driver Mika Salo with Former F1 boat champion Patu Leppälä.
Last week I passed Arendal norway and looked into a ProVee team making their progress in Norway.
And theres always Class1 if ProVee doesn´t sound good enough.
How is it the UIM circles have had a quite a succes since the late 80´s?

Re: Interesting letter on Offshore racing
 

I have to aggree. I lost interest as well. just not exciting anymore.everyones a champion in some sort of class racing against one other boat in that class. ooohhhh hard competition.Hopefully they can get it back together. Untill then I go to do this.....